Lubricated valve



April 20, 1937. J. J. MCBRIDE ET AL LUBRI CATED VALVE I 2 Sheets-Sheet l m m m U mam w Filed May' 2, 1936 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNHTED STATS PATENT OFFICE LUBRICATED VALVE Jersey Application May 2, 1936, Serial No. 77,484

Claims.

This invention relates generally to valves and in particular to discharge valves of the closed type for use in connection with tank cars or other containers. 7

Valves of the type generally known and used have had the moving parts exposed to the lading of the container which either due to its viscosity or corrosive nature caused the valve to operate unsatisfactorily and even though the 10 lading was of low viscosity, yet deposits would form which would make the valve hard to operate. It is an object, therefore, of this invention to provide a valve wherein all moving or operat- 5 ing parts are completely protected from the ladmg.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a valve having the operating parts completely protected and lubricated.

A yet further object of the invention is the provision of a lubricated valve for tank cars or other containers.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a valve having the operating parts fully protected and in which the valve moves vertically substantially without rotation.

' These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of the valve as applied to a tank;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the valve in the closed position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing the valve in the open position; Fig lis a plan view of the valve with a portion broken away to better disclose the arrangement of parts;

40 Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view showing a modified form of the sealing arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings in detail it is seen that the valve A is secured to the tank B by the customary outlet casting C. The outlet casting is secured to the tank by rivets 2 and is provided with the required frangible portion 4 capped by safety cap 6. The valve operating rod 50 8 and operating wheel is are provided with the wheel positioned in the tank dome l2 all as is clearly shown in Fig. l and as is customary.

'- The valve itself consists of three main parts,

namely, the valve support and guide 14, valve 55 element and its associated parts lfiand the valve ,ment is provided with a central opening 48 element carrier orscrew stem l8. The valve support and guide is provided with an annular base portion :29 having threaded engagement with the outlet casting as at 2| and having a valve seat 22 which as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 5 is tapered, but this seat may be fiat as shown in Fig. 6. Spaced arms 24, extend upwardly from the annular base portion, thus defining ports 26 (Figs. 3 and 5) communicating with the central opening 21 of the base and these arms are 10 joined at their upper ends by a flat circular portion 28 adapted to receive sealing means 30. The sealing means is in the form of fiber or leather cups, the lower of which has the lip 3! directed downwardly in spaced relation to the circular portion, while the upper cup has the lip 32 directed upwardly in spaced relation to washer 34. The washer is firmly clamped upon the sealing means by nut 36 engaging the screw 38, which is V threaded into the fiat portion 28 and locked in 0 position by means to be inserted through holes 39. The screw which, due to its rigid attachment becomes part of the support, extends upwardly above the nut as at 40 any desired amount and is threaded throughout the length of the extension. A slot or grease groove 42 is cut in the extension for a purpose to be later described. The valve element is substantially bell-shaped witha smooth interior forming a cylinder 44 cooperating with the sealing means to prevent ma- 30 terial from entering or leaving .the space above the sealing means, and the lower portion of the element is flared outwardly as at 45 to provide a seating surface 46 adapted to cooperate with the valve seat on the support member. The valve element is provided with a nut-like portion 41 in order that the valve seats may be ground as customary and necessary in practically all valve assemblies. The upper portion of the valve elethrough which is inserted the valve lifter 50. The valve lifter as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is formed of a single piece of metal, cylindrical in form, having a shouldered thrust or lift portion 52 adapted to cooperate with the inner surface of the valve element, and an outer surface 5| close fitting within the opening 48 and provided with sealing grooves 53. The lifter has a chamber 54 therein closed at the top by head portion 55 provided with an upstanding socket 56 to receive the end of the operating rod and closed at the bottom by a lower wall formed with an opening v58 having threaded engagement with the screw stem, thus completely closing the chamber except for the grease groove 42 previously referred to. A groove 60 is cut in the surface of the lifter to receive the ends of flat ended set screws 62 carried by retaining or upper thrust ring 64 and the lifter is tapped to receive a grease plug 66, the removal of which will permit the introduction of grease or lubricant into the chamber.

The operation of the device is as follows and assuming the parts in the position shown in Fig,

2 with the valve fully seated and the chambers lubricated. Rotation of the operating rod will cause rotation of the lifter element relative to the valve element and the rigid screw stem, thus causing the lifter to rise on the stem bringing the lower thrust shoulder into contact with the valve element. Further rotation will cause lifting of the valve element from its seat to the position shown in Fig. 3 permitting escape. of the lading through the ports 26. During the lifting of the valve the ingress of material from the tank has been prevented by the sealing means 30 and the sealing grooves 53, while the screw and all other rubbing surfaces are lubricated by the grease placed in the chamber 54 and flowing into the lower chamber through the grease groove 42. In closing the valve the rotation of the rod is reversed and the lifter moves downwardly moving the upper thrust collar or retainer ring 64 into contact with the valve .element and forcing it downward upon its seat. The valve element will normally lift vertically but may turn if the friction between the valve element and the lifter is greater than that between the valve element and the sealing means on the support. In the event vacuum is created within the valve element I6 01' the chamber 54 during operation of the valve, provision may be made to oifset the same by means of a check valve or other suitable vent. Creation of a vacuum can be eliminated by forming the chamber 54 of the same area as the area within the valve l6 when in the position shown in Fig. 3; equal displacement therefore elimina ing the creation of vacuum.

The form shown in Fig. 6 operates exactly as that just described, the only difierence being in the manner of forming the valve element seat. In this form the bell-shaped valve element has the lower end threaded as at 10 to receive a ring 12 having a shoulder 14 adapted to clamp annular member 16 of resilient material which rests upon the valve seat of the support member M.

The construction shown in the drawings is, of course, merely by way of example and attention is called to the fact that a valve of the present invention may be so formed as to eliminate the use of the reservoir 54 in the lifter element and the construction include or comprise a metallic lifter element which will have a threaded connection with the screw stem I 8 with its upper end portion formed as an annulus with an inner threaded surface laterally offset from the screw stem and connected to the lower end portion of a tubular valve rod; the interior of the valve rod constituting a lubricant holding reservoir. With an arrangement such as just described the upper end portion of the screw stem l8, with the valve in seated position, will project into lubricant retained in the tubular valve rod. The operation of such a valve is substantially identical with that heretofore described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3 and the lubricant will pass from the valve rod through the groove 42 in the stem 18 into the interior of the valve between the seals 32 and 53. Reversal of movement of the valve rod to arrange the valve in seated position will result in a reversal of flow of the lubricant from within the valve through the groove 42 into the tubular valve rod.

Although the valve has been described in more or less detail, it is obvious that various modifications and changes may be made, but such changes are contemplated as fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and. formed with outlet ports and a valve seat, a screw stem secured to said support and extending upwardly therefrom, a valve element surrounding said support and adaptedto rest on said seat to close the outlet ports, and a valve lifter movably connected to said valve element and having threaded engagement with said screw stem, whereby upon rotation of the lifter the valve element will be moved vertically to control passage of material through the ports, said lifter projecting beyond the valve and being formed for engagement with an operating rod.

2. A discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formedwith outlet ports and a valve seat, a solid screw stem secured to said support and extending upwardly therefrom; a valve element surrounding said support and adapted to rest on said seat to close the outlet ports, a valve lifter movably connected to said valve element and having threaded engagement with said screw stem, whereby upon rotation of the lifter the valve element will be moved vertically to control passage of material through the ports, said valve element having sealing engagement with said support and lifter to prevent admission of foreign matter to the interior of the valve.

3. A lubricated valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formed with outlet ports and a valve seat, a screw stem secured to said support and extending upwardly therefrom, a valve element surrounding said support and adapted to rest on said seat to close the outlet ports, a valve lifter movably connected to said valve element and having threaded engagement with said screw stem, whereby upon rotation of the lifter the valve element will be moved vertically to control passage of material through the ports, said valve element having sealing engagement with said support and lifter to prevent admission of foreign matter to the interior of the valve, and means permitting introduction of lubricant into the interior of the valve between the sealing engagements.

4. A discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formed with outlet ports and a valve seat, a screw stem secured to said support and extending upwardly therefrom, sealing means surrounding said screw stem and clamped to said support, a bellshaped valve element surrounding said support and slidably engaging said sealing means, said element being adapted to rest upon said seat to close the outlet ports, a valve lifter movably connected to said valve element and having threaded engagement with said screw stem, whereby upon rotation of the lifter the valve element will be moved vertically to control passage of material through the ports, and means sealing the movable connection between the lifter and valve element to prevent communication. between the container and the valve interior.

5. A lubricated discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formed with outlet ports, a screw stem secured to said support and extending upwardly therefrom, sealing means surrounding said stem and secured to said support, a bellshaped valve element surrounding said support and slidably engaging said sealing means, a valve lifter movably connected to said valve element and having threaded engagement with said screw stem, means sealing the movable connection between said valve element and lifter, thereby forming a substantially closed compartment, and means for introducing lubricant to said compartment, said sealing means and lubricant preventing admission of foreign matter to the interior of the valve.

6. A lubricated discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formed with outlet ports, a screw stem secured to said support and extending upwardly therefrom, sealing means surrounding said stem and secured to said support, a bellshaped valve element surrounding said support and slidably engaging said sealing means, a valve lifter movably connected to said valve element and having threaded engagement with said screw stem, means sealing the movable connection between said valve element and lifter, thereby forming a substantially closed lower compartment, said lifter being formed with a substantially closed space providing an upper compartment, means for introducing lubricant into one of said compartments, and means permitting transfer of lubricant between the compartments during movement of the valve parts.

7. A lubricated discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formed with outlet ports, a screw stem secured to said support and extending upwardly therefrom, sealing means surrounding said stem and secured to said support, a bellshaped valve element surrounding said support and slidably engaging said sealing means, a valve lifter movably connected to said valve element and having threaded engagement with said screw stem, means sealing the movable connection between said valve element and lifter, thereby forming a substantially closed lower compartment, said lifter being formed with a substantially closed space providing an upper compartment, means for introducing lubricant into one of said compartments, and means permitting transfer of lubricant between the compartments during movement of the valve parts, said sealing means and lubricant preventing admission of foreign matter to the interior of the valve.

8. In a lubricated valve assembly, a valve support having outlet ports, sealing means secured to said support, a valve carrier immovably secured to said support, a valve element surrounding said support and engaging said sealing means, means movably connected to said valve and engaging said carrier whereby to lift said valve upon rotation of said means, and means permitting introduction of lubricant to the interior of said valve whereby all points of engagement are lubricated.

9. A discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formed with outlet ports and a valve seat, a threaded stem secured to said support and projecting upwardly therefrom, a valve element surrounding said support and adapted to rest on said valve seat to close the outlet ports, a valve lifter arranged in the upper end portion of the valve element and threadingly engaged with said stem whereby upon rotation of said lifter the valve element will be moved vertically to control passage of material through said outlet ports, and sealing elements secured to the support and engaging the internal surface of the valve to close communication between the interior of the valve and the container.

10. A discharge valve for containers comprising, a valve support secured to the container and formed with outlet ports, a valve surrounding the support, said support and valve being relatively so formed and arranged that communication between the interior of the valve and the container is prevented, a valve lifter sealingly engaged with the valve and formed to provide a lubricant reservoir, and a screw stem with which said lifter is engaged having means permitting transfer of lubricant from said reservoir to the interior of the valve during movement of said valve.

JOHN J. MCBRIDE. VICTOR WILLOUGHBY. 

